Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have become an essential part for a person living in the modern life. For LCDs, LCD TVs and computer monitors are most common applications. The applications of LCDs further extend to personal information related electronic products such as smart mobile phones, hand-held game consoles, digital photo frames, and electronic book devices, etc. Generally, the LCD has a backlight module incorporated for displaying image. A conventional backlight module mainly consists of a light source (or light sources), a light guiding plate, plural optical films, and other fastening components. The light source commonly used is a cold cathode tube or a light emitting diode (LED). Recently, the LED is gradually replacing the cold cathode tube since the LED has many advantages including higher brightness, higher color saturation, and free of mercury additives, etc.
Nowadays, the backlight module tends to be designed into a lighter and thinner module. Further, since the LED is smaller in size and much brighter in comparison, a LED packaged backlight module has gradually been developed. However, when LED light sources are installed in small confined spaces and when the LED light sources are activated, a great amount of heat generated thereafter is difficult to be dissipated and this causes the lifespan of LEDs to be reduced. If a single LED is damaged or the emitting efficiency of a part of LEDs is lowered, the display quality with respect to the entire backlight module will be affected. In the afore-said situation, the backlight module may be dismantled or discarded from being used. Otherwise, the damaged LED light source of the backlight module will need to be replaced with a new one and it takes time and effort to do so. Furthermore, during the replacement process, the risk of scratching optical films and invasion by foreign objects may be increased.
Taiwan Patent Publication No. 200949357 discloses a backlight module, in which a clamping mechanism and a locating pin are utilized to fasten an LED circuit board on a securing component. The securing component is provided for facilitating putting in or taking out so as to replace the LED circuit board conveniently. A buckling mechanism is disposed on the securing component for assembling and fixing the securing component to the backlight module. However, the LED circuit board is merely supported by some portions of the securing component. The LED circuit board may easily be scratched or deformed in the replacement process.
Taiwan Utility Patent No. M315841 discloses a backlight module that provides a securing board to fasten an LED bar thereon so as to reduce the damages in the replacement process. However, the assembly of the LED bar and the securing board achieves the replacement of the light sources through a long, narrow cleft at a shell of the backlight module. Further, the cleft will affect the structural strength of the entire backlight module. In addition, the LED bar is mounted on the securing board by fastening screws. Therefore, it is very inconvenient to install and remove the LED bar. In other words, the time to replace the LED bar is a burden and the manufacturing cost is increased as well.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a backlight module for solving the above-mentioned problems.